Why nutritional screening matters
In older adults, nutritional problems may develop gradually. Weight loss, poor appetite, reduced mobility and difficulties with eating can go unnoticed until health and daily functioning have already deteriorated. The MNA® helps healthcare professionals recognise nutritional risk and identify people who need a more detailed assessment.
The tool is used in community and outpatient care, hospitals and long-term care facilities. A screening result can inform the next steps, but it does not determine the cause of malnutrition and cannot replace a comprehensive nutritional assessment by a qualified professional.
How the MNA® was developed
Development began in the early 1990s and involved the Nestlé Research Centre in Switzerland, geriatric researchers in Toulouse, France, and the University of New Mexico in the United States. Key contributors included Yves Guigoz, Bruno Vellas and Philip J. Garry. The first publications appeared in 1994.
The researchers aimed to incorporate a practical nutritional screening method into comprehensive geriatric assessment. A six-item short form was subsequently developed in 2001; a revised version of the MNA®-SF was validated in 2009 as a stand-alone screening tool.
Full MNA® and MNA®-SF: what is the difference?
The MNA®-SF contains six items and is intended for rapid screening. According to the official MNA® website, the revised short form is preferred for routine clinical practice.
The full MNA® consists of 18 items and can provide further information about nutritional status. It remains useful in research and more detailed screening. Both versions require accurate input data and appropriate clinical interpretation.
The official MNA® website also provides a Russian-language full MNA® form. Please check the rights holder’s conditions before reproducing or digitally implementing any version.
How to access and use the official method
- Visit the official MNA® forms page and select the appropriate language. The full Russian-language form is listed under Russian.
- Choose the form that fits the clinical purpose and consult the official instructions. Do not independently alter question wording, response options or question order.
- Obtain the necessary information from the patient or caregiver, take the indicated measurements and score the answers according to the official form. The official user guide explains the procedure.
- Interpret the result in the wider clinical context. Where nutritional risk is identified, arrange further assessment and appropriate follow-up within the practitioner’s professional scope.
Our proposed digital implementation
We would like to offer Russian-speaking healthcare professionals a free, easy-to-use interactive questionnaire with automatic scoring. Until the required authorisation is granted, VesninMed will not host the electronic MNA® questionnaire.
The rights to the MNA® are held by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. Requests concerning use and digital reproduction are handled by Mapi Research Trust through the ePROVIDE platform. VesninMed is independent and is not an official partner, developer or representative of the MNA® rights holder.
Official information about requesting permission to use MNA® ↗
Primary sources and further reading
- MNA® — Development and Validation. History, versions and clinical uses.
- MNA® Nutritional Assessment Forms. Official forms, including the full Russian translation.
- Guigoz Y., Vellas B. (2021). Review of 25 years of MNA® development and research.
- Rubenstein L. et al. (2001). Development of the short-form MNA®-SF.
- Kaiser M. et al. (2009). Validation of the revised MNA®-SF.
MNA® is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. This independent educational page describes the method and links to original resources. It does not reproduce the questionnaire.